4-day Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Lake Manyara tour with camping

Two nights in the Serengeti watching the big five across endless plains

This 4-day camping tour covers three parks of Tanzania's Northern Circuit: two nights in Serengeti National Park for game drives at sunrise and sunset, a full day descending into Ngorongoro Crater to search for black rhino, and a final morning in Lake Manyara National Park. A professional guide leads all drives and handles camp logistics. You travel by vehicle between parks and stay in budget campsites.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Serengeti National Park arrival and game drive

• Pick up from hotel after breakfast
• Drive to Serengeti with Ngorongoro Crater stop
• Start game drive on arrival
• Have picnic lunch
• Continue afternoon game drive
• Head to campsite for dinner and sleep

Day 2: Serengeti morning game drive and transfer

• Breakfast at campsite
• Morning game drive
• Optional hot-air balloon tour (extra cost)
• Lunch at Serengeti
• Transfer to Ngorongoro Crater
• Dinner and overnight at campsite

Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater game drives

• Early breakfast
• Descend into Ngorongoro Crater for game drive
• Stop for lunch at Hippo Lake
• Afternoon game drive ascending crater rim
• Return to hotel in Karatu for dinner and overnight

Day 4: Lake Manyara game drive and return

• Breakfast at hotel
• Game drive in Lake Manyara National Park
• Lunch in the park
• Exit park in late afternoon
• Return to Arusha or airport

The experience

The tour opens with a drive to Serengeti after breakfast, pausing at the Ngorongoro Crater rim for photographs before you arrive for your first game drive. Picnic lunch happens in the field, then you continue into the afternoon as the light turns gold. Two nights at Seronera Public Campsites anchor the heart of the park, where morning and afternoon drives give you the best chance to see the big five across the grasslands. The great migration passes through here seasonally, and the sheer number of animals (elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes) means almost every drive turns up something.

On day three you descend into Ngorongoro Crater itself, a caldera so dense with wildlife that guides call it Africa's Noah's Ark. The black rhino is the hardest animal to spot, but the crater holds elephants, hyenas, big cats and more in a landscape that feels enclosed and surreal. Lunch happens at Hippo Lake inside the crater, then you climb back to the rim and transfer to a hotel in Karatu for the night. Day four takes you into Lake Manyara National Park, where the Rift Valley escarpment rises behind the water and groundwater forests shelter monkeys and elephants in the shade. You game drive in the morning, lunch in the afternoon, then return to Arusha or the airport by late afternoon.

A professional driver and guide travels with you the entire four days, handling navigation and wildlife spotting. All park fees, transportation between parks, accommodation at budget campsites and a hotel, soft drinks, beer and wine during the safari, and roundtrip transfers from your Arusha hotel or airport are included. You can arrange a hot-air balloon tour over Serengeti on day two for an extra USD 550 per person.

What’s included

• Roundtrip airport and hotel transfers.
• accommodation at budget campsites and hotel for three nights.
• professional driver and guide for all four days.
• all park entry fees and transportation between parks.
• soft drinks, beer and wine during the safari.
• all meals at campsites and hotel.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 08:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (5 to 15 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupUp to 100

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 18 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomeNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Kibo Mawenzi Safaris

Is this one for you?Book this if you want two full days in the Serengeti and a complete day in Ngorongoro Crater (shorter tours skip one or both) plus Lake Manyara, all in a shared vehicle with a guide.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 15 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What animals will I see on a 4-day Serengeti safari?

The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater hold the big five (lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards and rhinos) plus zebras, giraffes, hyenas, hippos, impalas and monkeys. The black rhino inside Ngorongoro Crater is the hardest to spot. Lake Manyara's groundwater forest is known for elephants and tree-climbing lions, though sightings vary by season and day.

How much time do I spend game driving each day?

Days one and two in Serengeti include morning and afternoon game drives, with picnic lunch in between. Day three descends into Ngorongoro Crater after breakfast and climbs back out in the afternoon. Day four offers a morning game drive in Lake Manyara before the return to Arusha or airport in the late afternoon.

Where do I sleep on this 4-day tour?

You stay two nights at Seronera Public Campsites in Serengeti, one night at Ngorongoro Simba Campsite (a budget camp near the crater), and one night at Ngedere Camps and Lodges, a budget hotel in Karatu. All accommodation is included in the tour price.

Can I add a hot-air balloon ride to the Serengeti portion?

Yes, a hot-air balloon tour can be arranged on day two over Serengeti for USD 550 per person, paid as an extra at booking. The flight typically launches early in the morning before your game drive.

What is included in the tour price?

Roundtrip airport and hotel transfers, all transportation between parks, accommodation at campsites and hotel, all park entry fees, soft drinks, beer and wine during the safari, and a professional driver and guide for all four days are included. Tips for the guide and crew are not included. The suggested amount is USD 10 per person per day.